


Life Doesn't Discriminate

by ladydove



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 04:20:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6223624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydove/pseuds/ladydove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Lily finds out about Remus' condition before his friends, their bond strengthens in ways they never imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. There's No One in Town I Know

 

* * *

_“Your mother was there for me at a time when no one else was.”_

_**\- Remus John Lupin** _

* * *

 

“Psst!”

_Tick._

_Tick. Tick._

_Tick. Scritch._

“Lily….”

_Scritch. Tick. Scritch._

_Cough._

“ _Lily_!”

Lily Evans opened her bright green eyes, blinking a few times in attempt to get used to the sunlight streaming through the classroom. Glancing over to her right, she saw her friend Mary staring at her with an expression of worry mixed with something else written across her face. The Gryffindor furrowed her brow; she was not a mind reader, and Mary was clearly attempting to tell her something.

“Miss Evans?”

It was then, that Lily realized she was being called on in class. She whipped her head towards the front of the classroom where Professor McGonagall was staring at her over her spectacles, an eyebrow raised quizzically. Lily resisted the temptation to bit her lip in nervousness. She clearly hadn't been paying attention in class – a rare occurrence for her – and now it seemed, she would pay the price. Immediately, Lily stood up, meeting her professor's eyes. “Y-yes, Professor?” There was a sinking feeling in her stomach as heat crawled uncomfortably up her back. No one was impervious under Minerva McGonagall's sharp gaze.

“Would you be so kind as to demonstrate to us how to transform a tortoise into a teapot?”

“Oh. Yes, of course.” _Thank Merlin._ She could do that. Easily. Slowly, but not completely, the embarrassment ebbed away, and she could feel her colour returning to normal. Lily pointed her willow wand at the tortoise in front of her, but not before noticing how far it had crawled away from her. She must have been far away for longer than she thought. After clearing her thoughts, she spoke clearly, uttering the correct spell. Sure enough, the tortoise in front of her was replaced with a sparkling teapot with mother of pear embellishments.

“Wonderful,” said Professor McGonagall crisply, as the class emitted a polite applause. “Thank you, Miss Evans. You may sit down.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lily obeyed. She glanced at Mary, who was still fixing her with a quizzical look, but before her friend could mouth a question at her, the bell rang. There was a screeching of chairs being pushed back, and the low buzz of conversation around her as Lily rose to put her books away. With a wave of her wand again, she put the reptile back to sorts and picked it up gingerly. As she headed towards the large tank where they'd gotten the animals in the first place, Mary followed close behind. “What happened to you back there?” she asked Lily. “You never space out during class.”

“I know, I know,” Lily responded, setting the tortoise back into the tank where it proceeded to resume it's original task of munching on a lettuce leaf. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

Lily shrugged. “Nothing of importance. I – ”

Her lame, poorly thought out explanation was interrupted by Professor McGonagall bidding Lily to the front. Her stomach dropped again, and she instantly knew she would rather consult Mary than Professor McGonagall about her troubles. Even so, the redhead made her way up to the classroom front where McGonagall stood, fixing her with a stern gaze. “What, may I ask, was going on today in class?”

Lily's cheeks flushed, and she looked down, not wanting to meet her teacher's eyes. “I just...I got distracted, Professor.” she said rather lamely. “I'm sorry. It won't happen again.”

“It's not like you to be distracted during class, Miss Evans.” Lily looked up as she registered a note of concern in the older woman's tone. “Are you quite sure you're alright?”

Lips pressed in a thin line, Lily surveyed the Professor's face. “I'm worried about Remus,” she replied finally, watching carefully for McGonagall's reaction. Would her favorite teacher tell her she was right in figuring out what she had about one of her dearest friends? Or would she deny it?

“Ah.”

That was all Lily needed to know. The questions she'd been asking herself for months now were all answered with one word – well, sound really – and the look written across her professor's face. Though McGonagall tried to hide her reaction, Lily could see straight through her. McGonagall was many things, but being a brilliant actress was not one of them.

“I wouldn't worry too much, Miss Evans.” McGonagall replied. “Mr Lupin can take care of himself.”

It was a rather lame answer, Lily thought, but there was no real reason to give her a well thought out explanation. She somehow sensed that her teacher knew she knew. “Yes, Professor.”

“Now then, off you go. You'll be late for the feast tonight.”

“Yes, professor.”


	2. On Sleepless Roads the Sleepless Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lily encounters James, Sirius, Remus and Peter

That day seemed like ages ago when she finally realized what had been ailing – _torturing –_ Remus for so long, when it had really only been a week. She still hadn't told Remus she knew about what he was going through. How was she to bring up such a topic? _Hey, by the way I know you're a werewolf_ did not seem like the best way to breach the subject. Did James, Sirius and Peter know? Lily found herself consumed in thought as she sat in the courtyard, perched on the concrete bench that the fountain's base provided. A light mist blew in the opposite direction which also conveniently rid Lily of the hassle of tying her hair in a ribbon – the wind was enough to keep her hair out of her face for the time being.

She wasn't working on anything too important; homework could wait until the next day. It was Remus that she was worried about. What did his friends know of it? If they didn't know, would they ostracize him for being what he was? James and Sirius could be right arseholes sometimes, but even Lily would be shocked if they shunned Remus about being a werewolf. Peter...Peter, she figured, would follow James and Sirius' example which – depending on their reaction – could be good or bad.

“ _Evans!_ ”

For the second time that day, Lily jolted out of her reverie, eyes fluttering in bewilderment as she realized James had poked her on the nose. As she refocused her gaze from far away to the present, she saw the very boys she'd just been thinking about had appeared right in front of her. James Potter – his usual lopsided smirk on his face with his hair in absolute disarray (Lily would never admit it, but he wore it _well_ ), Sirius Black – tall, with dark & brooding good looks that could send any girl into a fainting spell, Remus Lupin – pale, sickly looking, yet no less handsome, with soft features and a calming presence, and Peter Pettigrew – portly and round with a lopsided smile, quite dissimilar to James', and an almost nervous expression like someone was about to reprimand him for something he didn't do.

“Potter,” Lily responded, sending a smile towards all of them. Her smile lingered on Remus a fraction of a second more before moving onto Peter. “Come to interrupt my studying again?”

The Seeker let out a derisive snort, “I've seen you study, Evans. That was not studying. What you were doing was _daydreaming_.”

 _If you only knew, Potter._ “Ridiculous,” Lily responded immediately, rolling her eyes for effect. She prayed to Merlin that her acting skills were up to par. “I was thinking of Professor McGonnagall's last lesson and trying to memorize the spells we were taught. Daydreaming is for people who have _time_ to, Potter.”

“You haven't memorized them yet?” Sirius jumped in, eyes widened in mock-surprise. “But it's been an hour already!” Lily started as he moved in to place a hand on her forehead. She went stock still reminding herself she was in a public place, as she had the fleeting desire to bite his hand. “Are you sure you're feeling well?”

“Quite,” she snorted, batting his hand away none too gently (“Ow!”, said Sirius) as she stood up, collecting her books. “And don't touch me again unless you want to see just how well I've perfected the Bat Bogey Hex.”

Sirius looked like he was genuinely interested in the effect it would have on him, and looked like he was about to step forwards when a hand landed on his shoulder. “I wouldn't do that if I were you,” Remus' voice intervened quietly. “Judging by what she did to poor Peter in our practice rounds, you don't want to be at the business end of her wand.”

A stab of guilt hit Lily as she glanced at Peter who'd now turned beet red from the memory of being bested by her _yet again_ in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. She always felt bad when she was partnered with him – it was rare that Peter won a duel against her in practice rounds. In attempts to make Peter feel less embarrassed, she cast him an encouraging smile. He had talent as a wizard, he just didn't believe in himself yet. She was sure of it.

“Thank you, Remus,” she said, drawing her book bag over her head so the strap lay across her chest. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more _daydreaming_ to do.”

“By all means, don't let us keep you any longer,” James said, bowing as she took her leave.

Lily was extremely close to rolling her eyes, but kept her gaze fixed straight ahead. “I'll see you after Charms, Remus.” she added as she left.

“See you, Lily.”

“After Charms? What are you two doing after charms?” came James' voice. Lily could have sworn there was a smidge of jealousy coating his words.

“We promised we'd help Professor Flitwick re-alphabetize his books.” Remus replied non-chalantly, though it was obvious he found the situation amusing.

Not being able to resist missing the look on Potter's face, Lily swung back around. “Peeves went in and reordered them last session.” Luckily the Professor had another class to teach, so he would be taking them in to a spare classroom whilst leaving Lily and Remus to it. Though Lily had thought nothing of it at the time, now she realized she'd be able to question Remus. She was so focused on how to bring the subject up to her friend that she failed to hear James mutter, “Suck ups.”


End file.
